Electrolytic cell and terminal therefor



LJ. Powmglo 2,329,726

ELECTROLYTIG CELL AND TERMINAL THEREFQR Filed April '7, 1939 llll klll'tw www EF H z; E j@ @Q l'l I'I\"\IIIII'TIH M1 i l 2,0 @EYE l@ i \\\i1f0 mw /ffwwm/ v the two partsrwhlch are order to avoid this capillary action,

Watershed Sept. Zi, i943 ELEo'rRoLYTIc CELL AND 'rmttnNaL rnnaaron Ilmberto Pomilio,

London, Enrlam, assignor to v Pomilio Corpi'ation Limited, London, England,

a company o! England Application April 7, 1939, Serial No. z y In Great Britain April 9, 19

' s claims.'

the production of alkali from a pared graphite which is of a porous character.

tric conductor or busbar. Various methods of forming a connection have been proposed, for example, by forming'a tween the graphite and the metal of the conductor or by the interposition of a wire sheet between pressure. `Iirsriost instances, however, after a certain lapse of time, the chlorine liberated at the anodes nds its wayv by capillary attraction Diiculty arises in forming a good electric connection between such porous anodes and an elec-l ly smooth surface contact bev clamped together under through the porous graphitev to the joint and of the connection. In the anodes have been impregnated with oils, waxes, etc., but although this reduces the porous. quality of the anode, it does not entirely eliminate it. For example, it has cell in which vertical bars of gas carbon are employed as the electrodes, to secure their lower ends to a holder by means of carbon pins which are passed through holes in the holder into taper holes in the vertical bars. The portion of the electrode which surrounds the pin was impregnated with parailin and the pin itself was similarly impregnated. IIhe pins were connected to an electric lead. Such forms oi joints, however, were found not attacks the metallic parts electrolyte.

. the electrolyte, a separate graphite part arranged lfor connection with the busbar.

electric conductor or For example, the upper part of the graphite electrode may be provided with one or more taper holes into which are inserted one or more graphite plugs provided with mercury cups into which the electric conductor or busbar projects.

The following is a description oi an electrolytic cell suitable for decomposing a common salt solution resulting in the production of chlorine gas and caustic soda solution, to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is an end elevation of a cell;

Figure 2 is a cross section of the cell shown in Figure 1.

been proposed, inan electrolytic entirely to avoid creeping of the.

' spaced away are secured at one concrete or cement tends'along the greater part of the width oi the wall. The margin of each opening is recessed to' provide a shoulder H. The space l2 within the Amain body of the cell constitutes an anode charnber into which extends a number of carbon anodes i3. The cathode chamber comprises an outer sheet-metal wall I4 to which is secured and therefrom an sheet-metal wall l5. stretched across'the inner face of the perforated metal `wall is a sheet oi open-mesh asbestos fabric l5 which is secured in position by a non-corrodible metal wire 9 which is threaded through the margin of the asbestos fabric and wound around pegs ilsecured to the outer sheet-metal wall it. The aforesaid shoulders H are 'lined with rubber strips it against which a. porous diaphragm of asbestos cardboard I9 is laid. The cathode chamber is the opening in the side wall of the cell and to abut against the asbestos sheet diaphragm and is held in place by a number of clamps 2@ secured to the side of the cell.'

The cathode compartment which is of considerable weight may be suspended from an overhead girder 2l by suspension members 22 which end to said girder and at the other end to the outer wall of the cathode compartment. The girder 2l may also be arranged to' support the busbar M and electrical conductors 45 hereinafter referred to.

The bottom of the cell is mounted insulators 23 which rest on tion blocks 2d.

on electric In order to prevent the electrolytefromA creepgirder 2| through suitable insulating means. The

reference being made :y

lower ends o the anodes may be supported on the bottom of the cells by earthenware distancepieces t9.

Iclaim: f 41. The combination with an 'electrolytic cell having a porous graphite anode adjacent which is liberated an element corrosive to common metand is long and narrow asV compared with its height. Each wide side wall is provided with a rectangular opening which exinner perforated shaped to fit the top of iounda conducting engagement with the exterior portion of said anode only but separable therefrom, providlng a joint therebetween impervious to capillary flow o! said element, and a metallic conductor in conducting engagement with said member.

2. The apparatus dened by claim l characterized by said member being a tapered plug fitting in a tapered hole in the outwardly projecting portion of said anode.

3. The apparatus dened by claim l characterized by said member having a recess with mercury therein into which a metallic conductor dips.

4. The combination with an electrolytic cell having a porous graphite anode adjacent which is liberated an element corrosive to common metals and capable o! permeating said anode by capillary attraction, and a container enclosing the cell, said anode projecting outwardly through said container, a graphite connecting piece inv contact with the projecting portion vonly of the .anode over a substantial area thereof outside said container, said connecting piece having pro-4 Vision for the connection thereto of an electric conductor.

5. The combination with an electrolytic cell having a porous graphite anode adjacent which is liberated an element corrosive to common metals and capable oi permeating said anode by capillary attraction, and a container enclosing the cell, said anode being disposed in the cell with one end projecting out through the upper wall` of said container, the exposed end of the anode having a conical socket formed therein and a conical graphite plug in said socket providing a surface contact with the anode over a substantial area and having provision for the connection of an electric conductor thereto.

6. The combination with a plurality of electrolytic cells each having a porous graphite anode adjacent which is liberated an element corrosive to common metals and capable of permeating said anode by capillary attraction, and a container enclosing the cell, one end of each anode projecting out through the upper wall oi' its container, the projecting end of each anode having a conical socket, a conical graphite plug in each socket providing a substantial area ot contact with said anode and having a. recess therein, a busbar extending adjacent the projecting portions of said anodes and a metal conductor extending from of each plug.

- UMBERTO POMILIO.

the bus bar into the recess' 

